Montclair, NJ – The #20 Montclair State University baseball team fell in a doubleheader to The College of New Jersey on Saturday afternoon at Yogi Berra Stadium.
The Red Hawks (26-13, 8-10 NJAC) were edged 13-10 in 12 innings in the opener and fell 14-3 in game two.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Montclair opened the first game with two runs in the first inning. With the bases loaded, ZACH STEARNS was hit by a pitch to plate MILES FEASTER from third. MARCUS JOHNSON reached on a fielder's choice during the next at-bat, scoring SAM ANGELO. They added two more in the second on a fielder's choice from MILES FEASTER and a single from Angelo.
- Stearns led off the third with a single, and JOE GISONDA singled later in the frame to put two runners on for JASON MOORE, who doubled down the right field line to plate Stearns. REECE MALEK used a sacrifice fly to make the score 6-0, and Feaster doubled to left center to expand the margin to seven.
- The Lions climbed back with seven runs over the next three innings to level the score in the sixth. MICHAEL MURPHY's sacrifice fly in the Montclair portion of the frame gave the Red Hawks the lead again, and back-to-back bases-loaded walks pushed the margin back to three.
- TCNJ answered with two runs in the seventh on an RBI double and a wild pitch. With runners on first and second with one out in the ninth, the Lions singled up the middle to level the score at 10, forcing extra innings. The visitors took the lead in the top of the 12th on a sacrifice fly, and added two more runs on a single to right center and another sacrifice fly. TCNJ sealed the victory in the bottom portion of the frame to take the opener.
- The visitors jumped out to a seven-run advantage in the second inning of game two and added two more tallies in the top of the fourth. Johnson reached on a fielder's choice in the home half of the fourth to put the Red Hawks on the board. TCNJ plated two more runs in the fifth to expand the lead to double-digits.
- In the sixth, the Lions used a double and a ground out to make the score 14-1, but Montclair answered with two runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Moore and a double to right field from Angelo. The Red Hawks could not get any closer, as the Lions sealed the road sweep to advance to the 2024 New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Angelo, Gisonda, and Moore all tallied three hits over the twinbill.
- Angelo and Moore led the team with three runs batted in on the day.
FROM THE FIELD
"Appreciate the efforts of all of our seniors and guys who are leaving the program. They have no doubt left a mark and legacy and we look forward to getting back to the top of the NJAC." – Head Coach Dave Lorber